Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 446

The completion ceremony ended successfully.

It was a stroke of genius to hire a catering service instead of entrusting the food preparation to the women’s association.

If we had left the food to the women’s association, the ceremony would have ended smoothly, just like other events.

However, instead of enjoying the ceremony, the women’s association members would have been exhausted from running around after people all day.

In that case, their memory of the ceremony would have been one of painful labor, not enjoyment.

No one likes to work, right?

The same goes for the members of the women’s association. It wouldn’t have been fair for some to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves while others suffered all day.

That’s why Hyun-sung chose the catering service.

The effect was certain.

The happiest people were, of course, the members of the women’s association.

Liberation from labor was, in itself, a unique and happy experience for them. They had suffered from preparing food several times a year for village events, so their joy was even greater.

And there was something else that caught the attention of the villagers.

It was the catering service. Back then, the word ‘buffet’ itself was unfamiliar, and buffet culture wasn’t well known.

Moreover, being in a rural area, it was even more distant from buffets.

In that situation, hiring a catering service naturally heightened the villagers’ interest.

A new world—the villagers felt like they had encountered a new world.

And not all catering services offer the same food. The types of food vary depending on the price range.

Naturally, Hyun-sung chose the most expensive full course. As a result, the variety of food was enormous. Even if you took just one bite of each dish, you’d be too full to eat everything, so people’s reactions were explosive.

And finally, what raised people’s spirits to the highest level was the band.

Since there were no karaoke machines back then, a band was essential for singing.

Bands also vary in quality. Among them, the band Hyun-sung chose was ‘Oasis,’ which was the most popular in Misari at that time.

When he first requested them to perform at the event, they looked incredulous, as if they couldn’t believe it.

But when he offered them a price, they immediately changed their tune.

Thanks to their performance, the villagers were in high spirits. Among them, the head of the women’s association, Lee Soon-ok, was particularly excited.

In that way, the completion ceremony ended as a festival that everyone enjoyed without anyone being left out.

And the fact that the villagers’ perception of the women’s association changed a lot as a result of this was also a valuable experience.

As a result, Hyun-sung judged that they had accelerated the change by at least 20 years.

***

Everyone left, and the last two people remained.

The two of them took the elevator to the rooftop, which was the top of the restaurant building.

“Let’s get off, Il-soo.”

As the elevator doors opened, Hyun-sung smiled and said kindly to Kim Il-soo.

Kim Il-soo arrived at the restaurant about an hour after the completion ceremony had started.

Hyun-sung had talked to Kim Il-soo the day before. Until then, Kim Il-soo had said that he couldn’t come to the ceremony.

Perhaps that was only natural. It’s impossible for someone working at a restaurant to come out on a Sunday, which is the busiest day.

As soon as they sat down at the outdoor table, Hyun-sung asked Kim Il-soo directly.

“What happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“When we talked last night, you said you couldn’t come no matter what. So how did you make time?”

“Because of you.”

“What? What does that mean?”

“That’s what you always say when you help me. Today, I have to use those words. I couldn’t not come because it was you.”

He chuckled.

Hyun-sung couldn’t help but laugh.

In fact, that was the phrase he always used when helping him with something. But hearing those words from Kim Il-soo in reverse just made him laugh.

Kim Il-soo continued.

“Honestly, I had a lot of *gomin* [worries/agonizing thoughts] after talking to you last night.”

“What’s there to *gomin* about? Sunday is the busiest day anyway, right? Then, of course, you have to stay at the restaurant. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s true, but because it was you, I was *gomin*. As you know, the fact that I can even function as a human being like this is all thanks to you.”

“Hey, what are you talking about? That’s just because you…….”

“No!”

Kim Il-soo shook his head, cutting off Hyun-sung’s words before he could finish. Then he continued immediately.

“I know, even if no one else does. You’re the one who made me who I am today, no matter what anyone says. I don’t know if you remember, but in the second grade…….”

Kim Il-soo’s words grew longer. As if he had made up his mind, he began to tell everything that had happened since the second grade of high school, without missing a single detail.

Five minutes passed, then ten minutes, but his words didn’t stop. And after about thirty minutes, Kim Il-soo stopped talking and called Hyun-sung’s name softly.

“Hyun-sung!”

“Jeez, why is your voice like that all of a sudden? It’s not like you.”

“Thank you!”

“Hey, what’s wrong with you? Why are you doing things you don’t normally do all of a sudden?”

“Honestly, I didn’t really know when I was in school, but after going to the army and getting a little older, I think I know now. The things you’ve done for me aren’t things anyone can do.”

“Jeez…….”

Thud.

Instead of words, Hyun-sung replaced his feelings by lightly tapping him on the shoulder. Anyway, he was just grateful that he had grown up so diligently.

Outwardly, he looked like the same friend, but somehow Hyun-sung couldn’t help but feel like Kim Il-soo was much younger, so he couldn’t help but feel that way.

Kim Il-soo’s words continued.

“Living life, I’ve realized that people don’t just give because they have money.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s about my grandmother.”

“Your grandmother?”

“Yeah, that’s right. My grandmother told me that money had been coming into her account every month since the month after I graduated and went to Seoul to learn how to cook.”

Honestly, at that time, he couldn’t help but worry more about his grandmother, who was left alone, than about Kim Il-soo, who had gone to Seoul.

The reason was his grandmother’s health.

So the method he chose was to send her a small amount of money each month so she could buy medicine.

Kim Il-soo smiled bitterly and continued.

“I’m only saying this now, but honestly, back then, I thought it was okay because you had a lot of money. But after living a little longer, I realized how foolish and big of a mistake that was.”

“…….”

“Looking back, I was really lacking. I don’t know how I could have thought so foolishly.”

“Jeez, you’re saying all sorts of things.”

“No, honestly, does that make sense?”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s all in the past anyway…….”

“No.”

This time, Kim Il-soo shook his head violently, cutting off Hyun-sung’s words.

“That’s not true. Even though it’s late, we have to address what needs to be addressed. Even if we put everything else aside, I’m really grateful for what you did for my grandmother. I was too young back then, so I pretended not to know and just moved on. I was really sorry and really grateful back then. I can’t pay that money back, but I thought it was my duty as a person to at least convey my sincere gratitude.”

After finishing his words, Kim Il-soo suddenly stood up from his seat, bowed his head to Hyun-sung, and continued.

“I was really grateful!”

Hyun-sung was *hwangdang* [dumbfounded/flustered]. Even when he brought up that story a little while ago, he didn’t think Kim Il-soo would bow his head this much.

Hyun-sung quickly grabbed Kim Il-soo’s shoulder and said.

“Hey, hey, what are you doing? We’re friends! Get up quickly.”

“Are you accepting it even now?”

“Hey, *inma* [a slightly rude way to address someone], what’s there to accept or not accept? We can just move on.”

“That’s not true. As I said a little while ago, I was too immature. It’s late, but I was really grateful back then. Thanks to you, my grandmother was able to live without worrying about medicine expenses—no, not just medicine expenses, but even living expenses while I was away. I don’t know how you even thought of that at such a young age, but you saved us. And…….”

“Hey, hey, I get it, stop it.”

Hyun-sung had no choice but to cut off Kim Il-soo’s words, who was about to say more.

“I know, I know, so let’s stop now. I know what you mean.”

“Are you accepting it?”

“I am, I am.”

Only then did Kim Il-soo sit down.

Watching that *moseup* [sight/scene], Hyun-sung also finally sighed in relief.

Cheek.

Hyun-sung opened the can of beer he had brought up a little while ago and handed it to Kim Il-soo.

“Here, let’s drink. We couldn’t drink earlier because of the elders in the neighborhood, so let’s have a drink now.”

“Oh, good. Cheers.”

The two of them smiled and clinked their canned beers in the air.

A moment later.

Putting the canned beer down on the table, Hyun-sung asked first.

“Now, tell me. How did you suddenly come down?”

“I just came. I felt like I couldn’t miss it. My boss told me…….”

“Hey, are you going to lie to me too? Do you think I’m stupid? What happened?”

It doesn’t make sense. What boss would let someone go on the busiest Sunday because their friend is having a completion ceremony? And he clearly said he couldn’t come when we talked last night.

Hyun-sung asked again.

“Now, tell me honestly. What did you tell the restaurant owner and come down?”

“I’m telling you, I just came.”

“If you keep doing that, I’m going to call the boss directly. Tell me yourself before that. All I want to know is what happened. Nothing serious, right?”

“Actually…….”

Only then did Kim Il-soo start explaining what had happened, as if he had no choice. As Kim Il-soo’s explanation continued, Hyun-sung began to look at him with an absurd expression.

And finally, when his explanation ended, a curse word immediately came out of Hyun-sung’s mouth.

“You crazy bastard!”

“Then, what should I do? I had to come…….”

“Hey, does that make sense? Taking a day off instead of not receiving a month’s salary?”

Hyun-sung was *hwangdang* [dumbfounded/flustered].

Kim Il-soo’s words were simple. He said that when he told his boss that he had to go to his friend’s completion ceremony no matter what, his boss set a condition.

That condition was also *hwangdang* [absurd/ridiculous]. The condition was that he could go if he didn’t mind not receiving a month’s salary. So Kim Il-soo boldly gave up a month’s salary and came down.

Kim Il-soo smiled and continued.

“I was *ohriryeo* [rather/instead] grateful.”

“What do you mean?”

“Because the boss said that. At first, he said no no matter what. But when I kept asking, he later set that condition. So I turned around and left without looking back. Hehe…….”

“Are you laughing now?”

“Hey, do you know what?”

Kim Il-soo suddenly asked Hyun-sung with a strange expression.

“What is it this time?”

“How happy I was.”

“Happy?”

“Yeah, running out of the restaurant and taking a taxi down here…….”

“Wait!”

Hyun-sung quickly cut off Kim Il-soo’s words.

“Did you just say taxi?”

“Yeah, if I went to the terminal and took the bus at that time, it would be too late.”

“So you’re saying you took a taxi all the way here?”

“Of course. Otherwise, the completion ceremony would be over…….”

“You crazy bastard. Pfft…….”

Hyun-sung couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

He couldn’t help but laugh at the fact that he had given up a month’s salary and, to top it off, had taken a taxi all the way here from Seoul.

But the truth was that he also felt a strange feeling behind that laughter.

Kim Il-soo was saying that he had willingly paid not only a month’s salary but also the taxi fare from Seoul to attend the completion ceremony.

Hyun-sung looked at Kim Il-soo and called his name.

“Hey, Kim Il-soo.”

“Why?”

“Weren’t you sorry? For a month’s salary and the taxi fare…….”

“No, it was *ohriryeo* [rather/instead] the opposite. I was happy.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, *inma* [a slightly rude way to address someone]. I didn’t know how happy I was taking a taxi. Actually, I couldn’t sleep properly after hanging up the phone last night. But in the morning, the boss told me to go if I was confident in giving up my salary. The moment I heard that, I ran out without even thinking about it.”

Pfft.

Hyun-sung nodded and smiled.

He was definitely not the Kim Il-soo of the past. In his past life, he was the Kim Il-soo who would try to take advantage of his friends even if it meant deceiving them. The fact that he had changed so much that he was now willing to give up a month’s salary for a friend was honestly absurd, but the truth was that he felt strangely good.

Then Kim Il-soo spoke again.

“Actually, I learned all of this from you.”

“From me? What does that mean?”

“You always say that.”

“I do?””Yeah, you always say that the real purpose of money is to use it in a valuable way. The reason I was able to give up a month’s salary this time is because I learned it from you.”

“…….”

Hyun-sung just closed his mouth and looked at Kim Il-soo, who was speaking.

Then Kim Il-soo spoke again.

“I guess this is how you use money. I had the opportunity to rethink the value of money this time. And I also realized again that there are things that are more precious than money at times. This time, I experienced something I had never experienced before. I bought happiness with money.”

“Are you really happy?”

“Of course. Honestly, I don’t regret giving up that money at all. I’m so happy right now, so isn’t that enough?”

“That’s right! That’s how you use money.”

Hyun-sung nodded and then continued.

“And I’ll make sure you earn plenty of that money in the future. Just bear with it for four more months. Starting next March, let’s work together here.”

“I’m waiting for that day too. That’s why I’m learning even harder now.”

“Okay, in that sense, let’s have another cheers.”

Hyun-sung held out his beer can.

Then Kim Il-soo also held out his beer can forcefully.

Gulp gulp!

The two of them drank all the remaining beer as if they had promised, and then shook the empty cans over their heads.

449

Becoming a Building Owner After Regression